Carcinoid tumour of possible thymic origin: case report.

A case of carcinoid tumour of possible thymic origin in a 43-year-old man is presented. Carcinoid tumour arising in the anterior mediastinum (thymus) is a rare condition and only 26 cases have been reported in the past. A review of the literature showed that three-quarters of the reported cases were asymptomatic but the remainder of patients presented with various endocrine symptoms. Ultrastructurally the thymic carcinoid is similar to those found in other organs and also appears to be derived from Kultschitsky cells of the thymus gland.